Choosing Judaism: 36 Stories
An inspiring book filled with stories of people who converted to Judaism
Choosing Judaism is a collection of thought-provoking, intimate and inspiring personal essays on what it means to choose or be chosen as a member of the Jewish people.
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The stories collected in this anthology represent a diverse range of voices and experiences from individuals of all ages, racial and gender identities, abilities, and across denominations
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Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist, Humanist, and secular Jews—from contributors all over the world including the United States, Canada, Australia, Spain, France, and Israel.
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There is no one way to be Jewish and no one pathway to get there. Whether you are Jewish or not, are exploring or seeking a deeper understanding of Judaism, or are considering choosing Judaism yourself, these stories offer unique perspectives on the journey of questioning and pursuing a spiritual path.
About the Authors
Bradley Caro Cook Ed. D.
A Jewish educator and entrepreneur who dedicates his life to bringing a voice to those who should be heard, healing the wound, pursuing justice, and ensuring a bright Jewish future.
Diana Phillips
A writer and editor of creative nonfiction. A graduate of Syracuse University, her writing has been published by Refinery29, Shape Magazine, and in this anthology.
Top reviews from the United States
"My relationship with this book started as a contributor. But some miscommunication, maybe a spam email and my story didn’t make it. When I first purchased the book and greedily skimmed the contents section looking to see what page my story was on, planning on rereading my story first, I was embarrassed and disheartened to find I wasn’t there. But then I opened to page one and started reading everyone else’s stories, and my story was there. Pieces of my journey I saw reflected in those of the strangers i’d connected with in the Facebook group months ago...people who were just a name and a photo became so real to me. I found myself devouring the stories one after another laughing on one page to turn it and find myself in tears the next. I wish I’d had this book during my conversion process to stave off some of the loneliness. To feel connected to a world of stories and people who had chosen to make the same choice."
LO-PO
"There are so many paths to Judaism presented here -- this kind of anthology and representation are not done often enough, and there is something here for anyone looking to explore what conversion can look like. The stories are well written as well! Highly recommend!"
KIMBERLY GEDAN
"Converting to Judaism is a very personal and spiritual process. I found this book to be extremely helpful and validating! I wish this book would have been around 25 years ago when I converted. As one goes through the process of converting you experience many different emotions and feelings. All of the stories in the book are different. Many people have different paths to converting to Judaism. This book illustrates all of the different stories with the communal feelings in the process of converting to Judaism. No Human (man) is an Island!"
VIVIAN EISENSTADT
"Wow! What an inspiring book filled with stories of people who converted to Judaism. We all need to read more stories about people finding a path that lights them up. May we all feel lit up."
DAVID GATES
Great perspective of the diverse paths to Judaism written by the people who walked them. It shows why people make a conscious choice to become Jewish.
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